The invention relates to a supporting and guiding stand to be used in continuous casting plants, such as continuous casting plates for slabs, comprising two roller ways supporting the strand at two opposite sides, one of the two roller ways being arranged on a first supporting framework and the other roller way being arranged on a second supporting framework which is braceable relative to the first supporting framework by means of a number of drawing anchors and connectable with the same, respectively, adjustment drives being provided for adjusting the second supporting framework relative to the first supporting framework.
A supporting and guiding stand of this kind having an arcuate shape is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,188. With this supporting and guiding stand the first supporting framework is formed by a framework, cross carriers and longitudinal carriers being fastened thereto. The second supporting framework is movable relative to the first supporting framework by means of pressure medium cylinders which are hinged to the cross carriers of the second supporting framework on the one hand and to the framework of the first supporting framework on the other hand, wherein the second supporting framework is displaced along the drawing anchors for the purpose of adjusting the distance of the roller ways.
With this known supporting and guiding stand difficulties may arise when separating the two supporting frameworks, in particular when the drawing anchors connecting the two supporting frameworks are very long, for providing a long displacement path of the second framework. Difficulties also may arise when the supporting and guiding stand extends over a great length of the continuous casting plant, for instance over the entire arc of an arcuate continuous casting plant, wherein a plurality of drawing anchors are provided, the anchors being arranged at an acute angle relative to one another.
Also with similarly constructed supporting and guiding stands for a straight-line supporting length, difficulties may arise when separating the two supporting frameworks. If, for instance, a plurality of drawing anchors are provided, it is difficult to align them precisely parallel to one another. Particularly after longer times of operation, jamming of the drawing anchors may occur in the supporting framework to be lifted, primarily if these are designed very long.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,083 discloses an arcuate supporting and guiding stand comprising two supporting frameworks that are braceable towards each other by means of drawing anchors and carry a roller path each, in which the drawing anchors can be detached from one framework and retracted into the other framework. With this supporting and guiding stand, however, the frameworks are not adjustable relative to each other, but rather, are always at the same distance from each other. It is only the arcuate longitudinal carriers arranged on one of the frameworks which are displaceable relative to this framework, wherefor a plurality of pins connecting the arcuate longitudinal carriers with this framework have to be detached individually, adjusted by means of special adjustment means and then fixed again in their new positions on this framework.